An insight on the institutional racism that prevails in the Swiss police from within the police force.
Scary…
The movie “Amaro Filmos” (Sic.), a documentary in which young Roma from Berlin give an insight into their lives. Racism, antiziganism, gentrification and the associated displacement of an entire community are highlighted – because many of the protagonists lived in the so-called “block” at the Ostbahnhof until the end of 2022, when the last families had to move out.
Individual members of the Nuremberg Integration Council have been criticized for racist statements. Integration councilor Mitra Sharifi explains why such bodies are not free of racism – and what needs to be done about it. Racism against Sinti and Roma is quite prevalent.
An article about the life of Romnja in Poland and their constant fight against stereotypes. This is presented through interviews with two Polish Romnja, one who stile lives in a traditional way (whatever that may effectively mean) and one which doesn’t.
But the stereotypes are the same: Dirty thieves.
A new report on racism in Germany.
František Tanko from the Slovak Roma Union stated that the actions of Marian Kotleba’s party directed against the Roma are unacceptable. “We are sorry for the incident in Michalovce, but we cannot throw all Roma into one bag. We are people who also obey the law,” Tanko said referring to the murder in that city.
Member of the National Council Marek Kotleba responded to Tank’s words by saying that their actions do not at all mean attacks directed at the Roma minority. “We did not go to the square in Michalovce to stir up any passions. We came to point out that such crime should be prevented,” explained Kotleba. He added further that the “People’s Party Our Slovakia will always stand on the side of decent people, whether they are white or black.”
That later statement is not really visible in the fact and actions of this party.
The Czech comedian Štěpán Kozub, in his performance at the O2 arena on 29/12/2022 made a really bad joke disparaging Roma and Jews as well as the memory of the Holocaust. Roma and Jewish organisations are protesting.
Kozub told that sometime after the Second World War, a bus full of Roma people went to see the ghetto so that it would never happen again. The guide goes to announce that “a bus full of gypsies” has arrived, and the porter replies: “But we don’t do that here anymore”.
Bad, especially since everybody in the sold out arena laughed.
The gathering of the Marian Kotleba supporters in Michalovce will have an follow up: Roma in Slovakia are planning a series of protests against the former member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Marian Kotleba.
The marches will be held in larger cities and towns, they want to invite representatives of the European Commission to in addition to journalists. They will report them to the relevant authorities during this week. František Tanko, the chairman of the civic association Union of Roma in Slovakia, informed about this today at a briefing in front of the Presidential Palace.
The case of a waitress who refused to serve Roma in a bar in Černelavc. Apparently, the waitress made no secret of her disregard towards Roma. Her and the bar’s lawyer argued that she thought one of the three Roma she refused to serve had been involved in a brawl the day before in the bar, which proved to be untrue.
The bar and waitress lost the case.
Around two hundred Roma live in the municipality of Šentjernej in several settlements – on Trdinova cesta in Šentjernej, Mihovica, Draškovec, Roje and Drama. They were represented in the municipal council by Darka Brajdič for two terms, but this year she decided not to run for the post of Roma councillor.
She says without hesitation what bothers her about her work so far in the Šentjernej municipal council:
“I was not heard, much less considered. In the last mandate, the current mayor has never been among the Roma, he does not know how they live, what needs and opportunities they have. In our municipality, Roma families are not treated the same as others, they even oppose Roma if they want to do something themselves.”
A long article about the shooting of a young Rom in Thessaloniki last week, and about the recurring police violence and racism against Roma and generally minorities in Greece, this with almost impunity.
It also highlights that the Roma are there since the Byzantine Empire (true, but most of the original Greek Roma are now in Turkey due to the population exchange in the 1920, and the current Roma are mostly Vach Roma who escaped the slavery), and it highlights the dire situation in which they are.
They are badly regarded in Greece and considered by many to be criminals.
This is bad.
Well, if you are Rom, you will be confronted in racism in the administration, or at least to discrimination. Milena Ademović can come up with a long list: unnecessary documents that are required, letters that get lost in the administration or child benefit applications that the parents who come to her have to wait a year for to be processed. “That’s why we’re here,” says Ademović, who, as a social worker at the Kulturen im Kiez advice centre in Wedding, also supports Sinti and Roma in their dealings with the authorities.
The United Nations is concerned about “the racist political discourse held by political leaders”, as well as the proliferation of hateful and discriminating words in the media in France. This is not new if one think what Manuel Valls, a former Prime Minister said about Roma while in power. But it is good that it is being highlighted.
Other news are more usual: A group of Roma and volunteers cleaned the garbage in a wood. Police arrested Bosnian Roma specialised in stealing power tools.
An article that is not about Roma, but is a reminder of what the truth about Hitler and his racial policies are. This is addressed to Ye (formerly Kayne West) who repeatedly has been praising Hitler.
Well, he, like many of the Nazis admirers, should better inform themselves first.
A book on Polish racism has been published and is reviewed in the Polish edition of Vogue. The book, called „Odejdź” [Leave] authored by Agnieszka Kościańska and Michał Petryk is insightful, written with exposing passion, painfully interesting and just as necessary. Because Poland is not a tolerant country, but rather a structurally racist one, and has been for many decades. Contempt for the Other is part of our culture.
Polish racism is doing well. It peeks out from almost every corner and withered bush. It is clearly visible on our border with Belarus, where people are dying as a result of the illegal decisions of the Polish government and the joyful consent of many Poles. It can even be seen in relation to some Ukrainians (it is not – so far – fashionable, but who knows what will happen in a moment)
The Roma and Sinti are the largest minority in Europe – and the worst off. This is proven by a new report, which extensively documents the situation of Roma communities in Europe. This report was published by the ERGO network (European Roma Grassroots Organization) and was recently presented by the Swedish politician Soraya Post. The prominent Roma activist was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2019 and is a board member of the network, which unites Roma organizations from more than 30 countries. The current ERGO report testifies, among other things, to a clearly unequal treatment of the Roma, in terms of health care. For example, 22 percent of people from the Roma community have chronic diseases and one in four does not have health insurance. The data comes from studies in the relevant countries and confirms that Roma find it more difficult to access healthcare in some EU countries.
These figures, says the Post, show that the situation has not improved since the adoption of the new EU framework for Roma political participation in 2020. On the contrary, we can talk about a deterioration, caused by the Covid 19 pandemic. And this despite the urgent appeal of To the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during the presentation of the strategic framework for the Roma in the EU: “Where is the essence of humanity, when the Roma are excluded from society and oppressed every day?”
Seems that racism against Roma is difficult to eradicate. Latest case, a Czech Journalist who shouted abuse at a Romano Journalist was forced to apologise but still claims that “Cikan”, the Czech equivalent of “Gypsy” is not derogatory.
There is still work to do.
Germany Antitziganism representative Mehmet Daimagüler, asks for the creation of a “truth commission” to deal with the persecution of Sinti and Roma during and after the Nazis. He explains why “reconciliation” lags why memorial events are a lie and why the minority cannot feel safe.
A chilling reportage on the world of hate against Travellers and Roma in online forums in the UK. This is bad, and should definitively be curtailed.
Unicorn Riot, a left wing media collective that originated online in 2015 and which is known for reporting on far-right organizations and sources of racial and economic injustice in the US uncovered several cases of racial profiling of Roma in the US. They also found an illegal database of Roma, held privately. Needless to say, Roma are all thieves and scammers.
This is bad.
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